A scene from “Lady Macbeth” directed by Han Tae-sook to be staged at Towol Theater of Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, March 21-April 13.

/ Courtesy of Seoul Arts Center

By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

``Lady Macbeth'' will be staged at Seoul Arts Center from March 21 to April 13 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the center.

Directed by Han Tae-sook, the play based on William Shakespeare's ``Macbeth'' from its heroine's point of view, is an encore performance, selected as best play by 82 theater critics and 1,099 viewers among a total of 49 plays produced by the theater between 1993-2006.

The play will be revived six years after its latest performance was put on stage.

The drama received critical acclaim for its music score, unique artistic theatrical elements and creative reinterpretation from its original ``Macbeth'' in the previous performances.

The play puts emphasis on Macbeth's wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play she appears the stronger and more ruthless of the two, as she urges her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown. After the bloodshed begins, however, Lady Macbeth falls victim to guilt and madness to an even greater degree than her husband.

The encore drama adopts a form of an ``objet'' drama ― which involves the manipulation of inanimate objects and may occur in a solitary or social context ― featuring the objects symbolizing the death of Duncan in unique styles and sets dramatic elements which heightens the psychological tension.

For the upcoming play, a clay clod will be hung on stage, which expresses the dead Duncan, as part of the ``objet theater.'' Lady Macbeth will communicate with the object, which reveals the themes and her psychological state.

Suh Joo-hee, a veteran actress who has portrayed the same role of Lady Macbeth in the play six years ago, will return to stage, while actor Jeong Dong-hwan will take the role of a court doctor who treats her sleepwalking.

Percussionist Park Jae-cheon will give a live percussion performance, mixing jazz and traditional music in the play.

The play will be invited as the international showcase for the Tokyo Performing Arts Market 2008 in March.

The play premiered in 1998 and won the five best awards in the Seoul Theater Festival and sold out performances in 1999.

Previously performed at Seoul Arts Center in 2000 and 2002, it was a hit with both critics and viewers.

It was also invited to the Kontakt International Theatre Festival in Poland in 2002, a first for the Korean production.

The play will take to the stage at Towol Theater of Seoul Arts Center from March 21 to April 13.

Tickets cost 40,000 won and 30,000 won for Wednesdays. For more information, call (02) 580-1300.